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Do you like The New Normal?

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by runallday4, Sep 18, 2012.

?

Do you like The New Normal?

  1. Yes

    60 vote(s)
    63.2%
  2. No

    9 vote(s)
    9.5%
  3. What?

    26 vote(s)
    27.4%
  1. runallday4

    runallday4 Guest

    Just wanted to make a poll to get everyone's opinion on the TV show "The New Normal." I have to be honest, that after the first episode I really didn't like it, and planned on not watching it again, but then I watched the second and third episode and I have to say it's growing on me. Opinions?
     
  2. TheEdend

    TheEdend Guest

    They had a very rough beginning in my opinion, but the third episode was AMAZING! Seriously, it was so, so good. It had me teary eye at one point xD

    Not nearly as funny as Modern Family (I have only laughed once so far), but it is doing an amazing job at tackling issues that pertain directly to the gay community. Its really great to watch.
     
  3. The Escapist

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    I didn't know that was out now, I always see those TV shows advertise and never see them on. Anyway I'm not a fan of Ryan Murphy's work right now so it's no big deal.
     
  4. midwestgirl89

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    Not wanting to watch it but maybe one day I'll try an episode.
     
  5. xoybtm

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    It's better than expected.
     
  6. CupidBoy

    CupidBoy Guest

    Love it so far.
     
  7. stephenjack

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    seriously awesome show so far! and i agree that with each passing episode it is getting better...can't wait 'til tuesday
     
  8. Minamimoto_Fan

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    I haven't watched it yet. I need to get around to it, but I'm buried in school work lately. D:
     
  9. Cloudbreaker

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    I like what the show is trying to accomplish, and for that reason I like it. However, so far it hasn't lived up to my quality standards and could have been put together much more elegantly, in my opinion. And for that reason I don't really plan to keep watching it.
     
  10. TheEdend

    TheEdend Guest

    What are you standards when it comes to gay shows and movies?! This is one of the best quality shows I have seen that focus solely on the gay characters. And when it comes to the topics they are touching they are pretty much the first people to do it on television so its understandable if they are still trying to find their footing.

    I do agree it could be better, though, but man the third episode made me fall in love with the show. So touching and it finally shows people about the struggles that many really don't think about.
     
  11. Lance

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    I just watched the first episode since I didn't know what the show was until I seen this thread. But I thought it was pretty good. The main character is a bit campy for my liking, but overall it seems like it's gonna be good I think. Not to mention that David character is some nice eye-candy. :grin: And Nene Leakes is always funny to me.
     
  12. Doctor Faustus

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    The premise is amazing and to see a mainstream network like NBC tackle these issues is really brave. It represents a sure step in the right direction.

    HOWEVER, I have to complain that as with so many other representational biases in the media, the gay 'problem' is being whitewashed... quite literally. The main cast are all white, except for a minor character who is quite obviously the token ethnic minority. Since when did Hispanic, Indian, Chinese etc. LGBTs have a show that spoke to them and addressed their cultural difficulties too? :bang:
     
  13. WillowMaiden

    WillowMaiden Guest

    First let me say, I feel like we already have 'The New Normal' in Mitch & Cam of Modern Family and what's good about them is that they are not "the gay family" they are just a family. I like that the focus is not so on the gay aspect of them. In fact, Mitch and Cam out of everyone else in their family, are the most traditional or "normal" at times.

    That said, I do agree about the whitewashing. And although the focus on gay is uninteresting to me, what could have made me interested in this show is if it wasn't another 'two white gay men get a kid' storyline. I feel this is nothing special anymore.

    If 'The New Normal' wanted to do something different or look more in depth at gay families, then it would be so much more interesting if they used a couple of two racial minorities. Also, maybe add more lesbian or trans couples/families in there, instead of it just being the one gay (white men) couple surrounded by straight people (also white) and their families. It's so obvious when this happens, that it is created this way because they don't want to push the envelope or they feel this is all the audience can handle. I can respect that, but it puts me to sleep.

    It would have been cool if this show looked into how other cultures view homosexuality. Gay and Middle Eastern, gay and Black, gay and Asian, gay and Hispanic. I feel that these groups are commonly forgotten seeing as a stereotype in these cultures are "only white people are gay" or "that's a white people thing." Thoughts like that are obstacles presented by people of their race/culture (and sometimes by white people as well) that non-white LGBT people have to overcome. I'm not interested in 'The New Normal' not because I think it won't be entertaining, I'm sure it is, but, "white male (most likely Christian) gay couple starts a family..." Sorry to say, but I've seen it more times than I can count and the idea, for me, is just tired, played out almost. I am bored with it.

    The show would be worth looking into if it were to show the way other ethnic groups view homosexuality and gays having families. Racial minorities and homosexuality is territory that is very seldom wandered into, which is strange because there are just so many interesting subjects one could get into with it. Instead, an idea that isn't even super controversial anymore keeps getting hashed as if it's so taboo. Frankly, I feel this is just...old.

    I do like the actors that play the characters. One of them has been in some of my favorite movies. Good to see him on screen again. :grin:
     
  14. HunterN95

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    I love it, but... it's so shocking at times. On the scene when the handicapped guy called David a f*g my jaw DROPPED. It definetely avoids stereotypical scenarios in my opinion, but it has some surprisingly morbid moments and dark humor.
     
  15. CTJ

    CTJ
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    I'm slightly biased seeing as ive crushed on Justin Bartha since National Treasure, but i think its a pretty good show. It made me laugh a few times and i feel connected to the characters already. I wouldnt say its my favourite Murphy production, but i will keep watching it.
     
  16. midwestgirl89

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    I agree with this and with WillowMaiden. I don't want to watch the show for this very reason.

    I went to an LGBT conference where we talked about minority representation within the LGBT community. They looked up the word "queer" and came across mainly skinny white gay men. Minority races, different ethnic groups, diff. religions, different able-bodied individuals, women, elderly folks, those of average body types/overweight body types, etc were all severely lacking.

    I'm tired of seeing mainstream LGBT representation that is not ground-breaking at all. I didn't expect much from Ryan Murphy though.
     
  17. WillowMaiden

    WillowMaiden Guest

    You brought up some great points! I would have loved to be at that conference. What you saw doesn't shock me at all. Skinny 20 something white boys is what comes to a majority of people's minds when you say the word "gay."

    How awesome would it be to see older LGBT couples and their experiences with having families if they have them. That's who should be in the gay couple's lives, their go to couple for advice. But usually it's one of the guy's female best friend and her family. It would also be awesome for the main couple to be and have friends that are average looking gay people and not in their 20s (like Mitch & Cam). A lot of gay couples in mainstream media don't even seem like they're apart of the gay community because they are rarely around other LGBT people (unless they dedicate an episode to "the Transgirl," "the Drag Queen" or "the Lesbians" and make them the ass of the jokes for the episode. In episodes like that it seems their poking fun of people that are in the same community as them as if they, the couple, are you know, not that kind of gay. You know what I mean? Maybe I'm over thinking it, but that's what it feels like sometimes.) Not to say that you have to live around gay people to be a member of the community, but in real life there are many areas with a great number of LGBT people living near each other, so many that the area becomes known as "the gay town" of that city, and people who don't live in this area, hope to migrate there. (I know I do!) :grin:

    Let's see people who are Deaf and gay. I know a few of those. Let's see people who are physically handicapped and gay, people of different races, different religions besides Christianity. I would watch a show like that dilligently. That would be a truly different idea and truly diverse cast. But we're talking about mainstream here, so all this will likely never happen. I can respect their boundaries, fine. I just hope another less mainstream, but still well known network like Showtime, HBO, Starz picks up a dream show like this. I like my fair share of indie stuff, but something like this shouldn't be underground. I can just see something like this being low grade and hardly known because maybe only people with low budgets are willing to make it, but it doesn't have to be like that. It can be produced like a good quality show on a popular network. Just gotta find someone to give it a chance.

    I'm guessing all this isn't Ryan Murphy's style, but hopefully it will be someone else's, someone who can get it the same press and popularity as a show like "The New Normal" on a cooler network. :icon_wink
     
  18. SheWhoHasNoName

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    Maybe I should get around to watching it this weekend then! :icon_bigg
     
  19. TheEdend

    TheEdend Guest

    I get what you guys are saying and I hope that we get to that point, but I don't get how you can say this show isn't ground breaking at all.

    I mean, yes the people in it are white and they are rich, but why does that take away from the story? This TV show, as far as I know, is the first that revolves entirely around an openly gay couple that frequently shows affection towards each other (something that took modern family 2 seasons to do), that are raising a family together, that seem human and not just a stereotype, that show the heartaches and the good things about being gay, and that show a lot of people for the first time what a gay family can look like.

    I do agree that we need to show that not all gays are skinny, fabulous, white and rich, but to me that doesn't take anything away from the show. It just means that we still have ways to go and that this is just a step in the right direction.
     
  20. I really don't think it's that groundbreaking at all, I hear the Modern Family comparison a lot and that's because Modern Family did the exact same thing 4 years ago but funny and less stereotypical. I don't think gays are that new now a days on TV are they? Hell even The Sopranos had that interminable plotline about the gay guy in the family that took forever to resolve.

    One other thing that's insulting me about this show, the characters. A good gay character should never have the fact that he is gay be the defining feature of him. It should be here's a man he loves his family and his children, he happens to be gay. (Modern Family.) In The New Normal being gay is one of the few traits the two leads have. It's insulting, the fact that I'm gay is one of the most minuscule things about my life, it's why I haven't come out if I'm being honest. It's just not worth the say 30 minute discussion it'll cause until I really feel that need to like say if I find a boyfriend I love. I don't let being gay consume my life but The New Normal certainly thinks I should.